Why Does My Dog Growl When I Pet Him?

Why Is My Dog So Unpredictable?

Do you ever find yourself thinking that your dog has a dual personality, closely resembling the canine version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Is your dog friendly with guests one minute and growling, barking, or even snapping the next? It is normal to feel quite upset, especially if you have invested lots of time in socializing and training your dog, especially if this is new behavior.

As a dog trainer and behavior consultant, it is not uncommon for me to hear about owners wondering why their dog's behavior has drastically changed. Luckily, there are some reasonable explanations. However, good management and a strategic plan are a must if you're going to help Rover gain back his stable temperament.

Causes for Unpredictable Dog Behaviors

Oftentimes, dog owners assume that when their dogs are growling, they are acting out of protection. However, the act of protecting requires some sort of threat. Dog trainer and behavior consultant Pam Young claims, ''True protection dogs are FRIENDLY to people when their owner has no reason to feel threatened.''

So, if not a protective behavior, then what may cause a dog to act friendly one minute and then growl the next? The following are some potential causes for unpredictable Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde syndromes.

1. Pain and Medical Conditions

Many dogs go into a ''Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde'' routine when they have on-and-off ear infections. In this case, it hurts being pat on the head, especially when the ears are hot and inflamed!

Pain is a plausible and very understandable trigger that may cause similar reactions. Dogs may suffer from ear pain, neck pain, even dental pain. They may want to be petted, but then once the hands are too close or touch them, they feel the pain and suddenly lash out.

Many dog owners struggle to recognize the 30 behavioral signs of pain in dogs, and acting in uncharacteristic aggression such as growling, snapping, and biting are just some of them. There are also other medical conditions known to cause aggression, such as hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease.

2. Fear

Most dogs are not protective or guarding, so if your dog is reacting to friendly people in non-threatening scenarios, what you are seeing is likely a case of fear. Contrary to what you may have heard, dogs who growl, snap, or bite are not "dominant," but are rather stressed, fearful dogs. Sometimes, we misinterpret their body language and think that they're asking to be petted when, in reality, they are asking for space.

For example, cowering in dogs is a sign of a dog acting out of fear. These dogs are not lowering their bodies to be pet or just showing respect; they are trying to make themselves as small as possible in hopes of being left alone. Not respecting their need for space or cornering them can lead to them growling and possibly snapping.

Another commonly misinterpreted signal is a dog "asking for belly rubs." Do dogs like belly rubs? It depends on the dog and his or her body language. Dogs who are loose may be really eager to get a belly rub, but dogs who hold their tail tucked and their legs in a tense way may actually be trying to protect their chest and belly.

3. Second Fear Stage

If a dog is between six and 14 months old and undergoing significant behavior changes, it could be that he is going through its second fear period. According to Diamonds in the Ruff:

1. ''Many dogs will show a rise in their level of aggression (reactivity) during this time. In large breeds, this period could extend longer since it is tied to sexual maturity. Incidents may occur more than once. Corresponds with growth spurts. Therefore, it may happen more than once as the puppy matures.''
2. ''May suddenly be apprehensive about new things or shy or timid of new people or situations.''
3. ''This is a fear of new situations and are handled with the utmost patience.''
4. ''It is better to ignore the whole situation than to reinforce the fear by praising the dog or petting him while he is afraid. When you "reassure" a dog with pets and "it's okay, fella," you are telling him it is okay to be frightened, and you are creating a potential problem.''
5. ''Build confidence through training.''

4. Dislike of Head Pats and Hugs

Are people patting your dog on the head? Many dogs do not do well with being pat on the head. His growling might be your dog's way of saying ''I do not like this approach.'' Many dogs do better with a chest rub.

Patricia McConnell, in her book For the Love of a Dog, claims that wolf researchers claim to use head pats to discourage pushy wolves and have them leave! Also, in case you were wondering, Why do dogs not like being hugged?

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5. Aloofness and ''I've Had Enough'' Syndrome

If your dog does well for the first few seconds of being pet and then becomes aggressive after a while, it could be they are OK with an initial introduction and then have simply had enough.

Some dogs become a bit more aloof as they grow and reach social maturity. Even with other dogs, they may be OK with a dog sniffing them for a few seconds, but then they may change their attitude if the interaction is longer than what they are comfortable with.

If this is the case, make the introduction with your friends very brief. Have the people let him sniff their hands, and then, if he seems friendly, have them ask him to sit. If he complies, let them give him a brief pat followed by a treat. This should accomplish several things:

1. It should significantly reduce his chances of growling, and the less he growls, the more likely the behavior will extinguish.
2. It should leave a positive impression since it leaves him craving for more. Just as you would stop a training session on a positive note, try doing the same when he is around people.
3. The "sit" cue should diffuse any tension since it will help the dog concentrate on something else other than being reactive.

4. By petting briefly before delivering the treat, the dog should learn to associate being petted with a treat and, therefore, increase his willingness to be pet. With time, he may gradually tolerate longer petting sessions; however, avoid this if you cannot read signs of increasing stress and discomfort.

   You want to make safety your top priority and keep your dog comfortable, so always end your session on a positive note. Many times, when dogs react upon being pet, the interaction is too long, too close, and too personal for the dog's taste. Keep it short and sweet if your dog wants attention so as to set him up for success. Don't put him in the situation of having to communicate, "I've had enough."

Getting Out of a Bad Situation

It's worth mentioning that growling and acting aggressively can be reinforcing to the dog because it stops an interaction and often makes "the bad guy go away." According to the Clark Animal Care Center:

''Affected dogs learn to use aggression to get themselves out of any uncomfortable situation. The aggression is reinforced because the anticipated "bad" event does not occur.''

Growling becomes a way for the dog to protect itself from perceived harm (which may be unfounded) and therefore terminates the uncomfortable situation. Since your friends will most likely stop petting him the moment he growls, the growling is reinforced and puts down roots. Soon, the dog will use this strategy more and more, which can become habit-forming, if not addressed.

Does My Dog Really Want to Be Pet?

When thinking about petting a dog, it's imperative to familiarize oneself with a dog's body language. Is it loose and wiggly? Then, the dog likely enjoys being pet. Is the dog tense and stiff? Then, most likely, the dog prefers to be left alone.

While reading dog body language is crucial to avoid a bite, what about dogs who act eager to be pet one moment and then growl the next? In these cases, you want to exercise caution. Having the dog see the vet to rule out medical problems is an important step, especially if the behavior is unusual for the dog.

The Consent Test

Keeping the interaction brief can help prevent the dog from feeling stuck in a "sticky situation." And then you have the consent test, in which you pet the dog very briefly and then watch his reaction. What does the dog do? Does he just stand there? If so, he may be neutral. There may be more interesting things going on, or perhaps the dog is on the aloof side and has had enough.

Does he move away? If so, he may be looking for relief because he wasn't very comfortable, or he has found something better to engage in. Does he move closer to you or even nudge at your hand? If so, then the dog may want more loving. Ultimately, you're allowing the dog to determine consent.

If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting), please consult with a dog behavior professional for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos, and general information provided online are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this service, you are waiving any liability claims or other types of claims related to any of your dogs' behaviors against you or others.

Questions & Answers

Question: Why does my Labrador suddenly switch between the happiest sweetest dog there is and suddenly snapping at our hands if he is being petted? Usually, he is the one that is initiating the pets, and if he wants no more he walks away, but sometimes he just bites out of nowhere with no visible indications it's coming.

Answer: There can be various causes for this behavior. Has he always been this way or is this a new behavior? If it's a new behavior, it might be worthy of seeing the vet. Keep record of whether this behavior takes place when he is touched in a particular area. Also, worthy of wondering is whether the times he tries to bite is because he is being cornered or restrained in some way that prevents him from walking away.When dogs can't move away, they are likely to become defensive and bite. Is this a puppy? If so, he needs to learn to enjoy being handled. This can be done by petting briefly praising and then feeding a treat, pet/treat, pet/treat, pet/treat for several sessions, gradually increasing the time he is being pet, until he looks forward to being pet because he has asociated with all these good things. He can also be pet briefly before being released to go eat his meal. This method can be used as well with older dogs, but I would recommend seeing a trainer or behavior consultant for safety and correct implementation.

Question: My chihuahua used to let me pet her. She is usually very affectionate and loves being petted, but all of a sudden she starts growling and biting at me when I pet her. Why is this?

Answer: There can be various possibilities. Perhaps you did something that may have startled her in the past, although not intentional. Some things as innocent like a sneeze, sudden laughter, coughing, dropping things on the floor at times may startle dogs, and they may not like to be approached. In some cases, small dogs may not like to be picked up to be petted. At times, it can be the dog is suffering from some health issue that makes being petted painful (ear infection, neck/back pain, etc.). Some dogs may like to be pet, but they get tired of it soon and tell owners they had enough by growling. There can be many more explanations such as using a different perfume that bothers the dog, the emotion of the person, etc.

Question: My dog is very friendly and wants attention from everyone. But sometimes, with certain people, he becomes aggressive. Even though he might growl or snap at one of those friends, he always goes back to them for more attention. Why does this happen, and why with only a select number of people? My dog is a large mixed breed, neutered, four-years-old and has always had this behavior.

Answer: There is likely some pattern going on, but it is not being noticed. In behavior terms, we are looking for the "antecedent" in other words exactly what is triggering the behavior. It could be anything as subtle as not being comfortable around people with blue eyes, wearing hats, smelling like alcohol or approaching him in a certain way. It sounds like though he recovers afterward and approaches again. Something to consider as well is whether perhaps he dislikes being touched in a certain way. Until the underlying trigger is found, it may be difficult working on the problem because we do not know what is causing it. In the meanwhile, please use caution as these behaviors may escalate. Perhaps a behavior professional can help pinpoint the problem and suggest a behavior modification plan.

Question: Do you give referrals for animal behavior specialists? I'm having issues with a couple of behaviors from asking for affection and then biting to growling and snapping when he is sleeping and other defensive behavior in general. He is almost three, neutered, and didn't show any of these behaviors the first year or so. I'm looking for some professional help.

Answer: I do not offer referrals specifically, but generally, a DACVB can be a good place to start since sometimes defensive behaviors can be seen in dogs due to medical problems. Since your dog hasn't shown any signs prior to the first 1.5 years, you may want to rule out medical problems first before considering behavior modification. A DACVB is a board-certified veterinarian specializing in behavior, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

Question: We rescued a 2 1/2 year-old mixed-breed (wiener/beagle/rottweiler/shepard?) 3 months ago. He is very loving with me and is usually that way with others, but he's nipped my mom and dad (each once soon after we got him) and snapped once at my teenage son. His aggressive behavior has almost always occurred when a person is moving toward me in a way that my dog seems to find threatening. What steps should I take after these occurrences to help stop them from happening in the first place?

Answer: Any time there are cases of potentially aggressive behaviors (growling, lunging, snapping, biting) it's important to seek the assistance of a dog behavior professional. This is for safety and the correct implementation of behavior modification which requires a certain level of skill. Usually, I would work on such cases using methods based on desensitization and counterconditioning https://discover.hubpages.com/animals/Dog-Behavior... (after taking a careful history of what the dog perceives as "threatening)", where care is taken to not send the dog over threshold https://discover.hubpages.com/animals/Dog-Behavior... and aiming to form positive associations. In other words, I would pay close attention to the dog's body language for the most subtle signs of stress, while I would guide a person to move towards you in a calm manner first, then increasingly with more decision, while the dog is being fed high value treats. I would then progress or take steps back based on how the dog responds. I would be aiming to attain a positive conditioned emotional response. Of course, this is just an example, so a disclaimer is warranted here, do not try this on your own, but please consult with a dog behavior professional using force-free behavior modification methods for safety.

Question: Why does my little dog growl every time I pet him?

Answer: It sounds like he may be uncomfortable. Some dogs do not enjoy being petted. It could also be he has some sort of pain going on. Small, sensitive dogs in particular who often go to the groomers may become hand shy or not very tolerant of being handled/touched in the long term.